Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter FORTY NINE - Great Listener

The ride back to the castle was at least twenty percent less frightening as I let my tingling lips and swimming mind recount the kisses with Sebastian over and over again. A preoccupied mind swallowing an anxious soul. 

I had wrapped my arms tight around Sebastian's waist and laid my cheek on his back, letting the warmth echo over my skin.

Sebastian had hummed as I pulled his body closer to mine and we flew through the quickly dissipating night. By the time we reached the Quidditch pitch, the bottoms of the sky were trickling into day, small rays peaking up over the edges of the mountains. Sebastian landed us gracefully behind one of the Quidditch towers and tucked the broom against the wall.

"They'll find it later." He waved a palm and then his eyes were on me again, making sure I wasn't going to keel over and loose what little remained in my stomach. 

When the coast seemed clear, his eyes danced to my lips and he smirked, a vein in his neck shifted. His fingers fiddled with the hem of his shirt and words seemed stuck inside his mouth.

I stepped closer and his breathing shifted.

"What?" I smiled, feeling the butterflies more like birds in my chest.

He ran his tongue over the bottom of his lip before pulling it in to bite absentmindedly. He shook his head.

"You do something to me Barlowe."

The memory of the first time he'd said that echoing through the air.

"We should probably get you inside. You need to check in with Professor Fig- I'm sure by now he's read your letter- he's probably driving the Keeper mad with his questions."

The anxious nerves twisted in my gut and I groaned. "You're right. I'll see you in class?"

"If you're there, I'm there." He smiled.

I felt the betrayal of nerves and awkwardness slip beneath my fingertips - wanting to touch him, to kiss him, but not sure if I should. Was a 'till next time' kiss too much? Too soon?

So I nodded uncomfortably, smiled and turned on my heel back to the castle, silently cursing my brain.

"Wait!" Sebastian caught my wrist, grinning cockily. "One more kiss? To tide me over?"

Nerves, awkwardness, anxieties, thoughts

all gone

I melted into his lips, heart skipping two beats at a time.

He chuckled nervously against my cheek as he took a step back. "I could get used to that."

---- 

After taking a moment to freshen up in the bathroom, I brushed and re-braided my hair, splashed some water on my face and patted it dry. I had only pressed my hand to the door to exit before it flung back, nearly smacking me against the nose.

A small girl with brown, bobbed hair and kind brown eyes stood frozen to her spot in the doorway, eyes wide and hand still up where it had touched the door. "I'm so sorry! I didn't realize anyone else was even up this early-" Her eyes drifted down my neck and her brows furrowed. "Are you alright?"

I puzzled. Was it really not normal for other students to be up at this hour? What time was it anyway?

She pointed to my shirt before quickly grabbing a towel from the rack against the wall and running warm water over it.

I took a step back to peak in the mirror. 

Apparently, I had been entirely too tired to notice the blood staining the neckline of my top.